Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB4429 by Blanco (Relating to mental health first aid training for veterans and immediate family members of veterans.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. The Health and Human Services Commission is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the commission may, but is not required to, implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that purpose.
The bill would require the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to coordinate local delivery to veterans and immediate family members of veterans of mental health first aid for veterans training. The bill would require local mental health authorities to provide information regarding the number of veterans and immediate family members of veterans who completed the veterans module of a mental health first aid training program. The bill would add new services to the Mental Health for Veterans Program, and require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to include in its annual report the number of veterans and their immediate family members that received mental health first aid training. The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
It is assumed that TVC and HHSC can implement the provisions of the bill relating to mental health first aid training for veterans and immediate family members of veterans within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.